Screen-setting apparatus



Oct. '2, 1928.

' J. D. ADAMS SCREEN SETTING APPARATUS Oct. 2, 1928.

J. D. ADAMS Filed Sept. 1,6, 1927 l III Il 3/ f7 3 ./7 hb-LT l5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 2, A1928.

JOSEPH DARK ADAMS, or' BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

SCREEN-SETTING APPARATUS,

Appneation mea september is, 1997. semaine. 219,919.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a screen setting apparatus. One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described spe-l cially designed to be used in connection with the setting of screen in a well bore and closing the lower end of the screen when it is set against the iniiow of iiuid from beneath.

Another object of the invention is to provide, invan apparatus of the character def scribed a safety cut off plug whereby the inflow ot fluid at the bottom of the screen may be completely cut off when the screen is set.

A further feature of t-he invention resides in the provision of a novel type of setting apparatus which may be comp etely detached and withdrawn from the well bore after thel safety plug at the bottom oi the screen has been actuated thereby into closed position so as to close the bottom of the screen.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to cerl tain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this'specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional View of the upper end of the apparatus with the packer set.

Figure 27Shows a vertical sectional view of the lower end thereof. f

Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the packer 4as set in a well casing, showing also the associated parts.

Figure 4 shows a vert-ical sectional view of the screen showing the safety plug closing the lower end thereof. f

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional viewl taken on the line 5--5 of Figure land Fi re 6 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of 4Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates a casing adapted t6 be set in a well bore. The hole beneath the fcasing which extends on down into the oillbearing strata is usually reduced and a screen 2 is set in the reduced bore opposite the oil bearing strata; The upper end of the screen has one or more sections of blank pipe 3 connected thereto by means of the coupling 4. Connected to the upper end of this blank pipe by means of the coupling 5 there is a tubular packer Supportl 6 on which an expansible packer 7 is mounted. The lower end of this packer is secured to the support '6 and the upper end of the packer may be connected to a sleeve as 8 which surrounds the support 6.

The upper end of the sleeve has expansible dogs 9 having inside ratchet teeth adapted to engage similar ratchet teeth 10 provided on the upper part of the support 6. As the sleeve 8 is forced downwardly it is obvious thaty the packer will be expanded into close contact with the surrounding casing 1 to cut off the i'low of outside iiuid from beneath up through the casing. Screwed on to the sleeve 8 and upstanding therefrom there is a setting nipple 11. When the setting nipple is forced downwardly, as hereinafter explained, the packer 7 will be expanded against the casing and the dogs 9 will engage the teeth 10 of the support 6 to hold the packer in expanded position.

l Threadedl into t-he lower end of the screen there isa plug 12 having an internal chamber 13 and threaded on to the lower end of this plug 12 there is a conventional set shoe 14. There is the internally threaded bore 15 extending from the upper to the lower end ot the plug l2 and the lower end of this bore is' controlled by the conventional back pressure valve-16. Threaded through the upper end of the plug 12 thereis an elongated safeyty cut o' plug 17 whose upper end 17 is polygonal in form. This plug 17 has a water course 18 leading from the upper end thereof down through the plug and terminating in i lateral ports 19, 19. y The lower end 2O of the plug 17 is tapered so as to readily enter the tapped bore l5 beneath the chamber 13 when it is desired to close the same. The numeral 21 designates an operating stem which cxtends to the ground surface and incorporated into this stem there is a collar 22 having an internal annular flange 23 which carries oppositely disposed upstanding pins 24, 24. The numeral 25 designates a wash pipe whose lower end is formed into a' socket wrench 26 adapted to fit over the polygonal upper end 17 of the plug 17. The upper end of the wash pipe 25 has the collar 27 screwed thereon and beneath this collar has a polygonal section 28 which is slidable through a disclike wrench 29 which lits snugly thereon and which has oppositely disposed holes to receive the pins 24. The lower end of the strinoP is threaded by left hand threads, into the setting nipple 11.

In use the apparatus is assembled, as shown in Figures l and 2 and through the operating string 21 the entire apparatus, including the screen 2 is let down into the bore until the set shoe 14 rests on the bottom of the bore; and the stem 21 is permitted to continue to descend forcing the nipple 11 downwardly to expand the packer 7 into close contact with the casing and until the lower end 26 of the wash pipe 25 fits over the upper end of the.

-thereof. `After the screen has been washed the stem 21 may be turned to the right to unscrew it from the nipple 11 and the wrench 29, at the same time will force the wash pipe to turn Awith. it and screw the plug 17 downwardly until its lower end is screwed into the lower end of the bore 15 far enough to close the ports 19 and the lower end of the screen is thus effectively closed. When the back pressure valve 16 only is used it frequently is held open by clogging material thus permitting the fluid to enter the lower end of the screen rather than through the screening surface thereof but the safety plug herein employed effectively prevents this. When the safety-plug has been screwed down, as above explained, the stem 21 may be then withdrawn from t-he bore and the wrench 29 will engage the collar 27 and'withdraw the wash pipe with it leaving the stem in the bore with its lower end effectively' closed and with the packing 7 securely set between the upper end gf the blank pipe 8 and the casing 1 in the ore.

The range of movement upwardly ofthe plug 17 is limited by means of the set screws as 30, 30, which are screwed therein and project therefrom so that they will abut the upper wall of the chamber 13. `These set screws may be inserted through a suitable 4 opening 31 in the plug 12 provided for that purpose. v

At the present time there is no definite way of testing whether or not the back pressure valve is leaking but when the safety plug 17 is screwed downwardly to close the lower end of the bore 15 a definite and certain test can be made ifdesired by turning on the pump through which water is forced down through the operating stem 21. If said bore is completely closed by the plug 15 the pump will stall and it is thus made certain that no water or sand will find its way up through the bottom of the screen into said screen.

While I have shown what I now consider the preferred form of this apparatus it is obvious that mechanical Ichanges may be made in the structure thereof and equivalents substituted for the parts shown and it is contemplated that such changes and adaptations may be made in the structure as maybe comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a well screen, of

means for closing the lower end thereof, said through which fluid may pass from the interior of the screen through Said bore, said plug being adapted to be screwed down into the bore to block both said port and bore.

2. The combination with a well screen, of an'anchor connected to the lower end thereof having an internal chamberl and an internally threaded bore vleading downwardly from said chamber, a downwardly'l opening back pressure valve controlling the flow of Huid through said bore,va safety plug having a threaded connection with said anchor and having a fluid channel. leading from the interior of the screen and'terminating in a lateral port leading into said chamber, said plug being aligned with said bore and being'adapted to be screwed down into the bore to close both said port and the bore.

3. The combination with a well screen having an opening at its lower end, of a safety plug adapted to be screwed into said opening to close the same, a wash pipe whose lower end is operatively connected with, but releasable from, said plug, an operating stem connected with said screen, a wrench operatively connected with said stem and also operatively connected with said, wash pipe through which the wash pipe is caused to rotate with the stem. l

4. The4 combination'with a pipe ladapted to be set in a well bore and which includes a screen, having an-outlet fluid passageway at its lower end, of a safety plug, having a threaded connection with the lower end of said screen and adapted to be screwed into said passageway to close the same, a wash pipe whose lower end is formed with a wrench adapted to releasably engage the upper end of said plug, an operating stem having a `threaded connection with the upper end of said pipe, a wrench operatively connected with said stem and wash pipe, respectively, through which the latter may be rotated from the former.

5. The combination with a tubing adapted to be set in well bore and which includes a screen having a fluid outlet at its lower end, of a rotatably mounted plug adapted to be screwed into said passageway to close the saine, an operating stem having a threaded connection with the upper end ot' said tubing and having an internal annular flange, a wrench on said flange anchored against rotation relative thereto, a wash pipe whose lower end is formed with a wrench which is adapted to engage and turn said plug and whose upper end extends up through, and is engaged by the wrench on said flange. A

. 6. The combination with a tubing adapted to4 be set in a well bore and which includes a screen having a fluid outlet at 'its lower end,

of a rotatably mounted plug adapt-ed to be screwed into said passageway to close the saine, an operating stem having a threaded connection with the upper end of said tubing and having an internal annular flange, a

wrench on said flange-anchored against i'ota-` tion relative thereto, a wash pipe whose lower end is formed with a wrench which. is adapted to engage and turn said plug and whose upper end extends up through, and is engaged by the wrench on said flange, an. expansible wall packer and the upper end of said tubing adapted to form a fluid tight joint with the walls of the surrounding bore.

7.v The combination with a tubing adapted to be set in a Well bore and which includes a screen having a fluid outlet at its lower end,

of a rotatably mounted plug adapted to be screwed into said passageway to close the same, an operating stem having an internal annular flange, a Wrench on said flange anchored against rotation relative thereto, a

wash pipe whose lower end is formed with a l wrench which is adapted to engage and turn said plug and whose upper end extends up through, and is engaged by the wrench on said flange, an expansible wall packer around the upper end of said tubing adapted to .form a fluid tight joint with the Walls of the surrounding bore, said tubing including means through which said'packer may be expanded.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH DARK ADAMS. 

